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POV of Susie Campbell
The glitz and glamour of this starlit New York City is almost unreal to me, an image that I’ve dreamed of ever since I was a kid. Now, all of it is reserved for me, which I can’t even fathom as I glance over the edge of the studio’s rooftop at the traffic on the roads and the various passersby on the sidewalk. No streetlights, stars, or even the moon itself can shine as bright as my fluttering heart with each step that I take towards the Bendy, Boris, and Alice Angel cutouts that surround the punch table. The banner hung above reads my name: It’s Alice Angel!
“Congratulations, Miss Campbell.” Mr. Polk, having just set the ladle down, raises a swished glass. “The studio sure is a lot livelier with you around.”
“Why thank you, Norman.” I curtsy in my black evening gown. It might not have Alice’s signature bow, but I did unearth some white gloves from the drawers of my apartment to at least resemble her in some way. My gaze is drawn to the swell of laughter that rises from a group of animators further to my right, though I merely smile and fill my own glass to keep the projectionist’s company. “It’s been a dream, all of this. Who woulda thought someone like Sammy would be so helpful in me gettin’ this role!”
“Yeah. Who would’ve thought.” Norman takes a sip of his punch as I playfully raise an eyebrow at his slight smirk. “Mr. Drew’s taken quite a liking to you, too, ever since Henry left, that is.”
“He’s just too sweet. Everyone here is, really.” I can’t help but laugh as I turn to bring my glass to my lips, though I immediately lower it to see Wally Franks walking over in a slightly torn tux. His boyish face breaks into a grin, and he runs his fingers through his mop of blond hair.
“Evenin’, Miss Campbell!” He mimes the tip of a hat while I cover my mouth to giggle. “Sure is swell havin’ you up in Music all the time now! You’s the only one who’s sweet to me some days!”
“Am I? Well that’s such a shame! You always brighten my day, after all.” I tilt my head and smile.
“Really? Norman, ya hear that?” Gleefully, Wally looks past me and to the weary projectionist.
“I hear it, I hear it.” Norman scoffs and waves a hand, though I merely laugh and turn to see Sammy coming out from the rooftop doorway. His chestnut hair is mostly smoothed back aside from a few strands that resemble slight crescent moons, and he’s wearing a rather nice suit as opposed to his usual suspenders and white button-down shirt. The janitor and the projectionist must notice me staring at him because the former has begun to snicker into the palm of his hand while the latter steps forward to push Wally back. “No doubt he’s lookin’ for you, kid.”
“No doubt?” I roll my lip in between my teeth and spin to face the two again.
“Why don’t you head on over?” Norman kindly suggests, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
“I guess I should! Oh, well, it was so nice talkin’ to you guys!” I set my glass down and politely wave while the two gentlemen return the gesture with varying degrees of excitement.
Upon my approach, Sammy’s green eyes flicker to me, though we both casually step aside from the rest of the guests—animators whose names I don’t yet know though a few familiar faces such as Jack Fain and Joey Drew himself. Sammy and I, though, are nearly drawn into each other’s orbits, pausing our motions in unison while the hum of the party lingers more softly than at the center of the roof. The music director looks me up and down, the corner of his mouth twitching into some sort of almost-smile, while I cross my arms and deeply inhale the fresh air.
“Lovely evening, isn’t it?” I ask, pushing some of my curls back behind my shoulders.
“It’s far lovelier up here than from the driver’s seat of my car. Far less people—” He turns his head upon the laughing crowds. “In some ways.”
“I thought you quite liked your car. You seemed almost married to it when we last talked.”
“Well, it is special to me, but there are some things that are… more special.” He just barely moves closer, his voice rather smooth and his gaze quite soft. Instinctually, I swallow, then quickly turn to view the way the buildings loom against the vast and deep blue skies. I could almost trick myself into thinking I’m by the sea, the thought of his arms around me as we both have our feet in the sand and our eyes on the horizon. My breath is hitched, though his gaze drifts to the makeshift little stage that some of the repair guys put together earlier on the other side of the rooftop. More cartoon cutouts and banners surround it, and right now, Joey is parting from his companions to step up onto the lifted wood.
Sammy cards his hair and lowers his voice. “You might want to head up there, Suze.”
“And you might want to go find the only other people you’ll actually talk to tonight. I’m sure they’re busy looking for you,” I return in a teasing manner. I’m one of exactly three people with whom he’ll actually exchange pleasantries and indulge lengthy conversations, and he is fully aware of this.
“Uh-huh.” He crosses his arms over his chest and smiles while I lift my hand to give him a little wave.
Joey is just now clearing his throat, and his almost devilish eyes fall upon me just as I sidestep the sea of fellow employees to make my way towards the front of the crowd. From here, I try to catch at least another glimpse of Sammy, but this is the most I’ve ever seen of anyone who works at Joey Drew Studios. It’s almost like looking for a needle in a haystack, though my held breath is released once I see the composer casually taking a place beside Jack Fain and Grant Cohen in the back towards the door to the stairwell. Grant and Jack are covertly chatting with each other, though Sammy himself seems to be distant from the conversation, eyes lifted to where I stand in a manner that is almost reverent.
Joey claps his hands together and smiles. “Welcome, everyone! It’s a delight to have you all here tonight to celebrate and honor my very dear friend Miss Susie Campbell! Susie, why don’t you come on up here for a minute or two!”
I’ve always loved being the center of attention, so with the swish of my dress I excitedly hurry up onto the platform to stand beside Joey Drew himself. He places a hand on my back, momentarily lowers his voice to give his own congratulations while the audience whoops and cheers above the simultaneous clapping. I curtsy a second time, taken back in time to my many dance recitals since I’ve pinned up my curled hair the same way I used to when I was just a little girl. After all, I’m making her dreams come true most of all.
“Miss Campbell here will be voicing our newest character, though I’m sure you’ve heard all about it through the grapevine already. Alice Angel will be the newest companion to Bendy and friends, so make sure to show Susie a lot of love as she brings life to this angelic demon!” Joey beams and meets my eyes for just a moment, but I coyly glance at Sammy, noticing that there is the slightest smile within his features, a sort of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it expression. All I know is that it’s got me blushing even as Joey resumes his speech. “Can I just say that it is so wonderful to have a community like this? Everyday I’m thrilled by the fact that so many people want to help bring my visions to life! With Susie, this company is making history—our first female character ready to take the stage! Susie, is there anything you’d like to say?”
I’m holding Sammy’s gaze as the skyscrapers linger behind his elegant frame. “I may not know all of you, but I’m hoping to get to know each and every single one of you over these next few years. Some of you better than others, of course.”
The group of animators and musicians laughs while I merely twist my lips in amusement the way Jack elbows him, bowler hat in hand, and points towards me with a grin. Grant merely shakes his head despite his clinging smile.
“Let’s give Miss Campbell another hand!” Joey taps me twice on the back and raises a glass to signal further applause, meanwhile I leave the stage in a daze, thriving off the energy of this crowd.
It’s a dream—just about everyone on the planet wants to talk to me tonight, each of them coming up to me with sparkling eyes and dazzling charm, and while I chat with glee about how excited I am about this role, the conversation always has some sprinkled mention of Sammy, much to the surprise and intrigue of the ones whose company I languidly share. It’s always something casual, like how much of a help he’s been at welcoming me to this company and how much I appreciate his adamance towards the idea of me as the voice of Alice Angel. When I mention this to one of the younger animators, he puffs his cheeks out and leans in to lower his voice, and I finally become in on the gossip of Joey Drew Studios.
I especially make an effort to get to know some of the other girls, complimenting their lavish dresses and dolled-up hair while chatting about the animator boys and their fanciful drawings. They’re all so sweet, and not even all of them are voice actresses—quite a few are musicians, but many are animators who keep quiet about Henry Stein no matter how often I assure them that I’ve heard many stories about his departure from the company. They keep true to their beliefs that tonight is a night of celebration, not of guilt and regret, so I indulge in their stories of lighthearted pranks and other company parties. Our laughter must be a symphony to this lovely little city.
It isn’t until I’ve returned to gazing out at the waiting skyline that a hand lands on my shoulder, squeezing it gently before I turn with my lipstick in my hand. I finish applying some more of it as Sammy Lawrence adjusts his tuxedo and casually takes his place beside me. “You’re the talk of the town tonight. I’ve been meaning to catch up with you for the past hour.”
“Have you?” I smile despite my flushed cheeks, tucking my makeup away into my clutch. “Funny, I’ve been weavin’ you into a lot of my conversations.”
“I’m sure that’s gone well.” He shifts, voice tinged with sarcasm.
“Your musicians think of you as a god, Mr. Lawrence. ” I reach forward and adjust the edges of his jacket while making sure to keep an eye on the rest of the socializing guests. “In case you didn’t know.”
“An exaggeration.” He shrugs at the thought once I draw back.
“That’s what I thought. I first heard that from Norman, but nope, they’re pretty settled in your little music cult. I’d oughta join them—I did say I wanted to get to know some people better than others.”
This is the first time I have truly seen Sammy Lawrence blush, the pupils of his piercing green eyes almost as large as the moon. He glances around for a moment of deep thought, then gestures with the tilt of his head towards the party. “We might want to head down to the studio, then, where it’s quiet.”
“Where it’s quiet?” I repeat, eyebrows raised in amusement. “Hm, I suppose that might be a swell idea, then.”
“Right.” He flashes a calm smile before beginning to lead me towards the door to the stairwell. I follow, hands folded in front of my waist and gaze drifting to the distant and disbelieving faces of Jack and Grant. I almost want to give them a wave, but I merely step beneath the frame as Sammy extends an arm to hold the door open for me, the nod of his head succinct and polite.
In his office, the radio on his desk is playing some jazzy little tune while I discreetly notice that the ink on the music sheets hasn’t even dried yet. He must’ve come up to the party right from work, then, though I won’t ask because he is busy shrugging off his jacket and hanging it on the hook. I’ve taken his lone wooden chair, fascinated by the countless awards he’s got plastered onto the wall—recognition for composing hit shows, performing various pieces, and even writing some of the songs for Joey Drew Studios, though his name isn’t exactly on that one.
Sammy notices me staring and wanders closer while loosening his top few buttons. “That last one was more Jack, not so much me. Sheep Songs was his best, but he doesn’t exactly have an office, so.”
“They should’ve put your names on it, at least.” I tilt my head to view it with sympathy.
“Every award I get now only ever has Joey’s name on it. We don’t always get the recognition we deserve.” There is a tinge of resentment in his voice, though his gaze softens when it falls upon me again.
“Just like how you won’t get the recognition for creatin’ Alice Angel?” I ask with the slightest tilt of my lips.
Sammy pauses. “Who did you hear that from?”
“Some of the animators. Said that you spoke to Joey yourself and wouldn’t let anyone else work on it but you.” I shrug and cross my legs. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that somebody’s smitten.”
Though he has to swallow his shock, he smoothly recovers with the elegance of the moon. “Why else would I envision you as an angel?”
I gracefully rise to my feet with the quirk of my lips. “Well, then, what are we standin’ around for? The night’s not gettin’ any younger.”
With carefully parted lips, he glances quickly through his office window, supposedly ensuring that the hall is empty and that we are the only two people amidst the rotting wood and dim lighting. Only then does he step towards me, lifts my chin with his slender fingers, and just barely allows his facade to fall apart within my hands. This close to me, he is no longer the cold, indifferent composer that everyone else knows him to be—he is rather warm, rather focused. I almost hate to close my eyes when I lean in to kiss him, but the way he holds the nape of my neck and desperately presses his lips against my own makes me melt, leaves me to imagining—to dreaming . I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so breathless, so hung up on another’s person’s mere existence, and with my hands slipping from his hair, I almost hate to draw back in response to the tilt of his head.
“I feel that I should ask you out properly first,” he croons, tucking a kiss into the crook of my neck.
I shudder in delight, eyes lifted to the heavens. “When have you ever been proper?”
“When I’m not being blatantly bothered by Joey.” The ink machine’s pipes crack and groan, drawing a usual grimace from him.
“Shame. We’ll have to pick a day where we’re not both at the studio.” I cup the sides of his face and tilt his head so that I am gazing into his eyes. “How about this Saturday? 7:00, but you pick me up—if I’m allowed in your car, of course.”
To my utter surprise, he grins. The idea of Sammy Lawrence grinning is like urban legend to this studio, yet here I am, stumbling across the Lochness Monster itself. “You’re allowed in it, Suze. Can’t say that about anyone else.”
“Even Jack?” My eyes are wide.
“Eh.” He straightens and waves a shaky hand, his emotions mostly contained again.
“Hm, well, in return for such an honor, I’ll invite you back to my place after,” I coyly suggest, arms crossed over my frame. He simply kisses me again, the slightest smile lingering on his face as the only evidence that he has felt anything at all. I remember so much talk, from animators saying that Sammy Lawrence has the best poker face in the entire state of New York to Joey Drew himself claiming that he is usually an entirely unreadable guy. Yet here and now, I am almost performing miracles as I thread my arms around him and open my mouth to his gentle advances. I guess the role of Alice suits me well.
“Miss Campbell! You left your purse out on the—oh.”
Sammy slowly breaks apart from me, though one hand still lingers on my waist while the other seeks to tousle his messy hair. Both of us are turned towards the window, viewing Wally Franks in shock while he stands at the start of the Music hallway with my aubergine clutch in between his fingers. My eyes flit to Sammy, who is surprisingly calm as he nods to me in an almost reassuring way. He then walks swiftly forward, swings open the door, and leads me outside.
“Thank you, Wally.” Sammy, with the corner of his mouth still tilted up, takes the purse from him and hands it to me once I’ve paused by the composer’s side.
“I ain’t seen nothin’, I swear!” Wally mimes covering his eyes with his hands, leaving me far more amused than embarrassed.
“You didn’t. I also didn’t happen to find that little audio tape where you talked about Suze and me when she first started here.” Sammy rests a hand upon the wall and leans forward, head tilted to the side. “Right?”
“I woulda never recorded anythin’ like that! Honest!” Wally puts a finger to his chin and sticks his tongue out in concentration. “Though if I did, I’d get rid of it right away!”
“Yes, you would.” Sammy smiles. “If I hear one word about any of this from anyone else’s mouth, you won’t even have the time to get ‘outta here’ before you meet the consequences. Got it?”
“Of course, Sammy!” Wally pretends to tip a nonexistent hat and begins to quietly slip away towards the staircase. “Enjoy your evenin’! An’ congrats to you again, Miss Campbell!”
“Why thank you, Wally.” My eyes find Sammy’s as he stands up straight again. “You know, I wasn’t too worried about him.”
“You should be. He’s perpetually unable to keep his trap shut.” Sammy sighs and unbuttons his sleeves to roll them up. “But he’s a good kid when he doesn’t annoy me.”
“You just don’t want people knowin’ you can be soft,” I allege with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s part of show business, Miss Campbell. If people can easily figure me out, then I’m predictable, which means that people can call my bluff—including Joey.” He lowers his voice despite the fact that the only sound remains the clanking of the pipes above. “I don’t want to ruin the magic, but things here aren’t always what they seem.”
I reach forward and button his top two buttons with a smile. “Well, sometimes that can be a good thing. After all, you aren’t exactly what you seem.”